smew

Noun

WORDNET DICTIONARY

smew(n = noun.animal) mergus albellus - smallest merganser and most expert diver; found in northern Eurasia; Array

is a member of genus mergus, mergus

is a kind of fish duck, merganser, sawbill, sheldrake

smew, n. [Perhaps for ice-mew.].

small European merganser (Mergus albellus) which has a white crest; -- called also smee, smee duck, white merganser, and white nun. [1913 Webster]

smew, n. a small merganser, Mergus albellus.

Etymology

17th c., rel. to smeath, smee = smew, widgeon, etc.